TRP: Gwydion and Larkin (Trust)
WORD COUNT: 2102 February 8, 2019 Mink: 8:36 AM 172. Setting: The old gallows outside of Glimmerton. As soon as he read the letter, Gwydion burned it. The one he sent to Larkin had been dangerous, but this one, if someone came peeking around, could get him killed and he had things to do before he died. After scattering the ashes in a potted plant, he readied his pack. The next morning was when he left for Glimmerton. Away from Skyport it felt as if a weight lifted and he relaxed into the walk. Out here, in the sunlight and cold air, he could forget his worries for a little while. There were many and they were wearing. Larkin should have been one, but, if she was, she was the least. At least until he reached the gallows. He looked over the old, worn wood lazily. He wasn't there to sight see, but he also knew there was at least one set of eyes looking out for him.(edited) Jen: '''8:46 AM Larkin watched from in between a stand of trees as a figure of familiar size and shape veered off the road and stopped by the gallows. She rubbed at her fingers and stomped her feet, both icy from waiting in the cold, then started toward Gwydion. '''Mink: 8:50 AM Gwydion tapped his staff as looked over the wooden structure again before movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Larkin. Even freezing she reminded him of a predator. He smiled as he turned towards her. "You could have chosen somewhere warmer." Jen: '''8:55 AM She returned the smile in a less friendly version of itself. "Could have. But I would've had to pretend I trusted you, and I didn't think you're gonna buy that." She stopped beside the gallows and patted the old woodwork. "Isn't this your style?" '''Mink: 9:01 AM He laughed softly. If life had led him on a different path maybe he could have liked her more. "Oh, no. Too crude." He turned his staff and winked. "We have better ways to get the job done." He glanced to the wood again. There were always better ways. "Are you going to tell me why you had meet me out here?" he asked when his gaze settled fully on Larkin. "I would like to know why I'm freezing my ass off." Jen: '''9:13 AM "That note you sent." She leaned back against the wood and tucked her hands under her armpits. "I want to hear more about that, but..." She waved at the surroundings, then returned the hand to the warmth. "In privat. This is safest for both of us I guess." '''Mink: 9:45 AM It was private. No one was going to drag themselves out in this weather to visit abandoned gallows that had seen better times. He leaned on his staff. "What did you want to know?" The note had stated everything, at least as far as he was aware. Jen: '''9:47 AM "Well, all of it. What means 'help'? How do you know? And why? " '''Mink: 9:50 AM "They want Wyn gone as much as you." He shrugged. He didn't know why and he didn't care; she had something he needed and if he could get it with her dead, that was acceptable. "They're trying to convince the Basha to help with some convoluted -" he made a vague gesture "- plan Finch thought up."(edited) Jen: '''10:03 AM "Finch? Finch has a plan?" Larkin stood up straight before she could stop herself, rebuffing herself for her reaction a moment later. She narrowed her eyes at Gwydion. "What's that supposed to mean, 'convince' the Basha? Renar's already fucking convinced Wyn needs to go. What do they need from him?" What Larkin needed from Gwydion right now we're details and straight forward answers, both of which weren't really how this guy rolled. Like most people who liked hearing themselves talk. Saying too much and telling nothing. '''Mink: 10:19 AM Gwydion arched an eyebrow at Larkin's reaction. She knew Finch on a level he hadn't thought of; oh, that was interesting. Potentially useful, potentially not. He didn't answer right away. He had to think. Jonn had been fidgety and excited when he told him, and the plan both made sense and made none. "They need Basha to go after her." That was the easy part of the answer and he had to sort through the rest. He twisted his staff. How much to tell? How little? Did he spill everything and wash his hands of this or did he -- "I will tell you everything, but I need to you change that favor I need completed." He could do both, could have both, as Hansel had said. Jen: '''10:33 AM Larkin ground her teeth, getting more impatient by the second. As predicted, yeah. But he had her here, she had promised him a favour. "Sure, change it. But then you'll tell me everything and be direct about it, all right?" '''Mink: 10:44 AM Gwydion nearly rolled his eyes. "Agreed." He smiled, a thin smile, and turned his staff. "I need you to find out who Wyn has spying in Alabaster. Specifically, I need to know who has been around my home and talking with the cleric there." Another turn. "And I need them to disappear." He would do it except he was out here and none of his connections specialized in that area. Jen: '''11:02 AM Larkin considered. She had no contacts in Alabaster and she herself would hardly be able to just wander in but maybe she could arrange something. He nodded, slowly. "You'd have to tell me where you live. And why that cleric is important." It had to be something significant, if he was willing to hand her that kind of information. Why else waste a favour on it. '''Mink: 11:30 AM Gwydion's grip tightened hard on the staff before he made himself relax; he had already give away more than he intended with her, and with anyone. But she needed to know and maybe, just maybe, she would keep it to herself. "I'll leave you a note." He smiled before sighing. "Since you want to ruin the fun...Finch wants to dry up Wyn's resources." He leaned a hip against the wood and crossed one arm across his chest, resting a hand on his upper arm. "Two days ago Jonn made a public display of killing one of the Basha's allies so word got back that it was the Sanguines." He smiled a little at the memory. Jonn was something else to watch in action. "I was there and took part in it. Does that satisfy 'how'?" Jen: '''11:36 AM Dry up her resources? Well, that sounded like a reasonable... wait. What? "You did what?" She must've misheard. No one could be that stupid. Finch wasn't that stupid. '''Mink: 11:43 AM "I did nothing except lead him outside." He hadn't been the one to slice his thin, little neck. "But, yes, some kid due to get married was killed. It was meant to look like the Sanguines were being open against the Basha." Jen: '''11:50 AM "God." Larkin groaned, drawing both hands over her face. What the fuck. What the fuck was Finch thinking. If Renar found out he'd break him. Why do that anyway? There had already been attacks, no need to fake ones and cause the cartel actual damage. Hadn't Finch heard? Larkin would have to- god, no. Not that. They had to coordinate somehow or they'd just fuck it up for each other, the Runners and Finch. And someone had to tell him to stop murdering Bashas. Someone who wasn't her. "Okay. Look." She took a deep breath, trying to relax. "You gotta tell him- tell them not to do that. I'll tell Renar we got ourselves some moles and he'll be in with the plan, but they gotta stop murdering their allies. Fuck." She shook her head, still not quite believing it. "Anything else you know about that fancy ass plan?" '''Mink: 11:58 AM She looked almost pitiful as she rubbed over her face in distress. She was tied up in this more than he had thought. Interesting, useful, and she was entangljng him in it further by asking him to tell Finch it needed to end. He wanted to tell her he had done his part. Instead he tightened his jaw and took a deep breath. "You ask a lot, but I'll pass on the message." He had to think of how. "All I know is is that they want to encourage her own people to turn on her." Jen: '''12:01 PM She glared at Gwydion. "I ask a lot? You want me to kill someone on the other end of the continent. You can deliver a message to someone you're fucking around with. Aren't you working for Wyn, too, now?" '''Mink: 12:06 PM "I work for myself," he said tensely. He had asked to join on the off-chance that Wyn had something, and she did. But she also knew about his dad and that hung over him because she could take everything away in an instant. Jonn and Finch could remedy that problem. Even Larkin could remedy that problem. Jen: '''12:18 PM "Yeah, sure. Go tell yourself that, I bet Wyn has a different view on things." '''Mink: 12:21 PM "Of course." He shrugged, rolling his shoulders. Saying he worked for Wyn was like saying he worked for Larkin. "It is nothing but a fair trade of services."(edited) Jen: '''2:50 PM "All I'm saying is, you don't get out of this kinda thing just like that." Larkin softened her tone a bit, wanting to take the tension out. Gwydion was helping here, after all. Stop being so thorny. "If Wyn thinks you're working for her, you do. Doesn't matter how you see it. And as long as she's not down, well." She raised her eyebrows, and shrugged. "You better keep up the act." '''Mink: 2:58 PM Gwydion quirked an eyebrow. She was giving him advice? That was something he rarely encountered and he would have smiled if it wasn't for the fact it was nearly as irritating as it was appreciated. "I had no plans to do otherwise." He stopped leaning on staff. He had to keep playing the game set up before him - his life wasn't the only one at stake if he lost this one. "Is there anything else you need or can I go find somewhere to warm up?" Jen: '''3:10 PM Yeah, sure. Larkin kind of doubted it but wasn't going to argue. He might be old as fuck but she doubted he'd seen many gangs from inside. Well. He'd learn. "I need you to..." she needed to talk to Renar and, Mask, she needed to talk to Finch. Maybe someone else could, though. Mikhail Haeth maybe, when he came back. "I need you to tell me what they're planning next. Finch and Wyn both, as much as you can. And can you arrange meetings? We need to line up our strategies." '''Mink: 3:14 PM "You are aware I'm not a spy, yes?" What Larkin was asking was something he had never done - he had never had to 'arrange meetings' or spy on people. Teasing someone and bringing them outside so someone else could kill them was different - even other murders were different.(edited) Jen: '''3:24 PM Larkin snorted. "Man, I'm talking about Jonn and Finch. Can you tell them to meet somewhere with someone or no?" '''Mink: 3:26 PM Finch didn't make the request easier. The man didn't trust him, not that he could blame him. He was terribly easy to goad. But now they had a common goal and he had agreed to help. "Yes," he finally said with a soft sigh. "When and where?" Jen: '''3:43 PM "I don't know yet. I'll send you a message. Just put it through, alright?" '''Mink: 3:44 PM "Fine. Anything else?" Jen: '''3:59 PM Larkin shook her head but kept holding Gwydion's gaze. Maybe that was just her being paranoid but something felt like it wasn't quite adding up. "Actually, yeah. How do you know it's not a trap? How do I know?" '''Mink: 4:03 PM "I don't." All he could do was trust Jonn. "You don't." All she could do was trust him. end Trust. Gwydion relays information about Jonn and Finch's plan to Larkin, and takes on the challenge of helping set up a meeting between the three. In exchange she agrees to help him with Wyn's spy in Alabaster. Category:Text Roleplay